Residents concerned about proposed stone quarry outside Fredericton

FREDERICTON - A Fredericton city councillor is calling on Environment Minister Roland Hache to halt the development of a stone quarry outside the city.

''There needs to be a thorough consultation process with the residents who have been affected,'' said Coun. Dan Keenan, who represents the Douglas area.

''To this point, I know there hasn't been any consultation with those residents, and that's not fair to approve something with that large an impact potentially from the operation itself, but certainly the impact of traffic coming through their neighbourhood.''

Valley Aggregates Ltd. of Burtts Corner, N.B., has received a one-year temporary approval from the Rural District Planning Commission to locate a gravel pit on property on Claudie Road.

The road's residents live within city limits and their street is the only access to and from the proposed 3.9-hectare site.

Keenan said when the issue of expanding a quarry arose at Bayside near St. Andrews, Hache invited citizens to a public meeting and invited their consultation.

''It is my hope you can be a champion to provide that same opportunity to the residents of Claudie Road and surrounding area,'' Keenan wrote to Hache in a letter sent last week.